Termite resistant and fungal resistant oriented strand board and methods for manufacturing

Abstract

The present invention provides for wood based panels (e.g., OSB or plywood) that are termite resistant, fungal resistant, or a combination thereof; and methods of manufacturing the same.

1. A method for producing an oriented strand board comprising:
 (i) contacting flakes of wood with a resin; 
 (ii) orienting, in alternate lengthwise and crosswise layers, the flakes of wood to provide a blanket of oriented flakes; and 
 (iii) curing the resin by exposing the resin to at least one of an elevated temperature, an elevated pressure, and radiant energy; for a sufficient period of time; 
 wherein the flakes of wood are independently contacted with the pesticide, fungicide, or combination thereof, at a flaker outfeed, on a flake conveyor belt, at a drop-out to green bins, at an entry to green bins, inside a green bins, at a green bin outfeed, at a screw auger pan to dryer, at a dryer infeed, at a 1st pass of 3 pass dryer, at a dryer outfeed, at a primary cyclone, at an airlock separation, at a reversing conveyor to dry bin or fire dump or conveyor to screens, on the inside of a dry bin, on a dry bin conveyor, at a scales, on a conveyor, inside a blender, at a forming line heads, at a forming line, at a caul plate or screen, at a steam injection in press, or any combination thereof. 
 
     
     
       2. The method of  claim 1 , wherein the flakes of wood are independently contacted with the pesticide, fungicide, or combination thereof, inside a green bins, at a green bin outfeed, or a combination thereof. 
     
     
       3. The method of  claim 1 , wherein the flakes of wood are independently contacted with the pesticide, fungicide, or combination thereof, by at least one of spraying, rolling, laminating, pressure injecting, dipping, and injecting the flakes with the pesticide, fungicide, or combination thereof. 
     
     
       4. The method of  claim 1 , wherein the flakes of wood are independently contacted with the pesticide, fungicide, or combination thereof, by spraying the flakes with the pesticide, fungicide, or combination thereof. 
     
     
       5. The method of  claim 1  wherein the oriented strand board is fungal resistant. 
     
     
       6. The method of  claim 1  wherein the oriented strand board is termite resistant. 
     
     
       7. The method of  claim 1  wherein the resin comprises a thermosetting polymer. 
     
     
       8. The method of  claim 7  wherein the thermosetting polymer comprises a phenolic resin, a formaldehyde resin, a melamine resin, a phenol-formaldehyde (PF) resin, a melamine-formaldehyde (MF) resin, a phenol-melamine-formaldehyde (PMF) resin, or a combination thereof. 
     
     
       9. The method of  claim 1  wherein the resin comprises a phenol-melamine-formaldehyde (PMF) resin. 
     
     
       10. The method of  claim 1  wherein the resin covers the entire surface of the flake of wood. 
     
     
       11. The method of  claim 1  wherein the resin covers a portion of the surface of the flake of wood. 
     
     
       12. The method of  claim 1  wherein the resin completely impregnates the flake of wood. 
     
     
       13. The method of  claim 1  wherein the resin partially impregnates the flake of wood. 
     
     
       14. The method of  claim 1  wherein the fungicide comprises formic acid, acetic acid, propionic acid, pelargonic acid, capric acid, copper ammonium acetate (CAA), copper naphthenate, or a combination thereof. 
     
     
       15. The method of  claim 1  wherein the fungicide comprises copper ammonium acetate (CAA). 
     
     
       16. The method of  claim 1  wherein the pesticide comprises copper ammonium carbonate (CAC). 
     
     
       17. The method of  claim 1  wherein the fungicide, pesticide, or combination thereof covers the entire surface of the flake of wood. 
     
     
       18. The method of  claim 1  wherein the fungicide, pesticide, or combination thereof covers a portion of the surface of the flake of wood. 
     
     
       19. The method of  claim 1  wherein the fungicide, pesticide, or combination thereof impregnates the flake of wood. 
     
     
       20. The method of  claim 1  wherein the fungicide, pesticide, or combination thereof completely impregnates the flake of wood. 
     
     
       21. The method of  claim 1  wherein the fungicide, pesticide, or combination thereof partially impregnates the flake of wood. 
     
     
       22. The method of  claim 1  wherein the elevated temperature is about 162° C. (325° F.) to about 246° C. (475° F.). 
     
     
       23. The method of  claim 1  wherein the elevated temperature is about 177° C. (350° F.) to about 232° C. (450° F.). 
     
     
       24. The method of  claim 1  wherein the elevated temperature is about 191° C. (375° F.) to about 218° C. (425° F.). 
     
     
       25. The method of  claim 1  wherein the elevated pressure is about 25 atm. (367 psi) to about 55 atm. (808 psi). 
     
     
       26. The method of  claim 1  wherein the elevated pressure is about 30 atm. (441 psi) to about 50 atm. (735 psi). 
     
     
       27. The method of  claim 1  wherein the elevated pressure is about 34 atm. (500 psi) to about 48 atm. (705 psi). 
     
     
       28. The method of  claim 1  wherein the elevated pressure is about 35 atm. (514 psi) to about 45 atm. (661 psi). 
     
     
       29. The method of  claim 1  wherein the sufficient period of time is about 3.0 minutes to about 9.0 minutes. 
     
     
       30. A method for producing an oriented strand board comprising:
 (i) contacting flakes of wood with a resin; 
 (ii) orienting, in alternate lengthwise and crosswise layers, the flakes of wood to provide a blanket of oriented flakes; and 
 (iii) curing the resin by exposing the resin to at least one of an elevated temperature, an elevated pressure, and radiant energy; for a sufficient period of time; 
 wherein the flakes of wood, prior to curing the resin, are contacted with a fungicide, pesticide or combination thereof, selected from the group of formic acid, acetic acid, propionic acid, pelargonic acid, capric acid, copper ammonium acetate (CAA), copper naphthenate, and combinations thereof. 
 
     
     
       31. The method of  claim 30  wherein the oriented strand board is fungal resistant. 
     
     
       32. The method of  claim 30  wherein the oriented strand board is termite resistant. 
     
     
       33. The method of  claim 30  wherein the resin comprises a thermosetting polymer. 
     
     
       34. The method of  claim 30  wherein the thermosetting polymer comprises a phenolic resin, a formaldehyde resin, a melamine resin, a phenol-formaldehyde (PF) resin, a melamine-formaldehyde (MF) resin, a phenol-melamine-formaldehyde (PMF) resin, or a combination thereof. 
     
     
       35. The method of  claim 30  wherein the resin comprises a phenol-melamine-formaldehyde (PMF) resin. 
     
     
       36. The method of  claim 30  wherein the resin covers the entire surface of the flake of wood. 
     
     
       37. The method of  claim 30  wherein the resin covers a portion of the surface of the flake of wood. 
     
     
       38. The method of  claim 30  wherein the resin completely impregnates the flake of wood. 
     
     
       39. The method of  claim 30  wherein the resin partially impregnates the flake of wood. 
     
     
       40. The method of  claim 30  wherein the fungicide is copper ammonium acetate (CAA). 
     
     
       41. The method of  claim 30  wherein the pesticide is copper ammonium carbonate (CAC). 
     
     
       42. The method of  claim 30  wherein the fungicide, pesticide, or combination thereof covers the entire surface of the flake of wood. 
     
     
       43. The method of  claim 30  wherein the fungicide, pesticide, or combination thereof covers a portion of the surface of the flake of wood. 
     
     
       44. The method of  claim 30  wherein the fungicide, pesticide, or combination thereof impregnates the flake of wood. 
     
     
       45. The method of  claim 30  wherein the fungicide, pesticide, or combination thereof completely impregnates the flake of wood. 
     
     
       46. The method of  claim 30  wherein the fungicide, pesticide, or combination thereof partially impregnates the flake of wood. 
     
     
       47. The method of  claim 30  wherein the elevated temperature is about 162° C. (325° F.) to about 246° C. (475° F.). 
     
     
       48. The method of  claim 30  wherein the elevated temperature is about 177° C. (350° F.) to about 232° C. (450° F.). 
     
     
       49. The method of  claim 30  wherein the elevated temperature is about 191° C. (375° F.) to about 218° C. (425° F.). 
     
     
       50. The method of  claim 30  wherein the elevated pressure is about 25 atm. (367 psi) to about 55 atm. (808 psi). 
     
     
       51. The method of  claim 30  wherein the elevated pressure is about 30 atm. (441 psi) to about 50 atm. (735 psi). 
     
     
       52. The method of  claim 30  wherein the elevated pressure is about 34 atm. (500 psi) to about 48 atm. (705 psi). 
     
     
       53. The method of  claim 30  wherein the elevated pressure is about 35 atm. (514 psi) to about 45 atm. (661 psi). 
     
     
       54. The method of  claim 30  wherein the sufficient period of time is about 3.0 minutes to about 9.0 minutes. 
     
     
       55. The method of  claim 30 , wherein the flakes of wood are independently contacted with the pesticide, fungicide, or combination thereof, at a flaker outfeed, on a flake conveyor belt, at a drop-out to green bins (pantlegs), at an entry to green bins, inside a green bins, at a green bin outfeed (drop chute), at a screw auger pan to dryer, at a airlock separation, at a dryer infeed, at a 1st pass of 3 pass dryer, at a dryer outfeed, at a primary cyclone, at an airlock separation, at a reversing conveyor to dry bin or fire dump or conveyor to screens, on the inside of a dry bin, on a dry bin conveyor, at a scales, on a conveyor, inside a blender, at a forming line heads, at a forming line, at a caul plate or screen, at a steam injection in press, or any combination thereof. 
     
     
       56. The method of  claim 30 , wherein the flakes of wood are independently contacted with the pesticide, fungicide, or combination thereof, inside a green bins, at a green bin outfeed (drop chute), or a combination thereof. 
     
     
       57. The method of  claim 30 , wherein the flakes of wood are independently contacted with the pesticide, fungicide, or combination thereof, by at least one of spraying, rolling, laminating, pressure injecting, dipping, and injecting the flakes with the pesticide, fungicide, or combination thereof. 
     
     
       58. The method of  claim 30 , wherein the flakes of wood are independently contacted with the pesticide, fungicide, or combination thereof, by spraying the flakes with the pesticide, fungicide, or combination thereof.